Visit the Road Scholar Bookshop
You can find many of the books we recommend at the Road Scholar store on
bookshop.org, a website that supports local bookstores.
The World of El Cid: Chronicles of the Spanish Reconquest
by Fletcher & Barton
Eyewitness Guide Northern Spain
by DK Eyewitness Travel
A literate, visually rich guide to northern Spain from Galicia across Asturias and the Basque Country to La Rioja to the Pyrenees.
Eyewitness Guide Portugal
by Eyewitness Guides
Featuring hundreds of photographs and drawings, an excellent overview of the culture and history, and good information about where to go and what to do.
Spain, A History
by Raymond Carr
An authoritative overview of Spain through the ages by one of the world's leading scholars on the history of Spain, Sir Raymond Carr.
Spain & Portugal Adventure Map
by National Geographic
A double-sided full color map of Spain and Portugal at a scale of 1:1,000,000 with good shaded relief, topographic detail, roads and waterways.
Roads to Santiago, A Modern-Day Pilgrimage Through Spain
by Cees Nooteboom
Grape Harvest
by Miguel Torga
Miguel Torga's first novel is a tribute to the Douro, its people, and its landscapes. A book for all who love this extraordinary region.
A Traveller’s History of Portugal
by Ian Robertson
A lively, admirably concise survey from prehistory to the present, great for travelers to Portugal who would like an overview of the country's history and culture.
Ghosts of Spain
by Giles Tremlett
Tremlett captures the Spanish character, history and modern politics in this masterful portrait, interweaving the story of his love for the country (where he has lived for 20 years) with interviews, anecdotes and observation.
The City and the Mountains
by José Maria Eça de Queirós
Eça de Queirós' novel is a tribute to rural Portugal, and a satirical condemnation of the emptiness of city life and modernity.
Food and Wines of Spain
by Penelope Casas
A classic collection of 400 recipes, interwoven with cultural commentary and the culinary history of Spain
The Pilgrimage Road to Santiago: The Complete Cultural Handbook
by David Gitlitz
A kilometer-by-kilometer guide to the route of St. James across northern Spain with copious information on the historical and artistic sites along the way. You probably won't want it in your daypack, but in your suitcase it will be invaluable for previews of the following day and reflections on the preceding one
Spain, A Traveler's Literary Companion
by Peter R. Bush, Lisa Dillman
Journey to Portugal, In Pursuit of Portugal's History and Culture
by Jose Saramago
Jose Saramago's richly detailed account of his journey across Portugal in 1979. He combines his vivid impressions of the Portuguese landscape and people with a dose of history, fiction and meditations.
The New Spaniards
by John Hooper
John Hooper's fascinating study brings to life the new Spain of the 21st century
Conquerors: How Portugal Forged the First Global Empirer
by Roger Crowley
This epic narrative history by bestselling author Roger Crowley (City of Fortune, MED185) chronicles the rise of Portugal as the small nation forged a dominant share in the global spice trade. His cast of characters (the ambitious King Manuel I, marauding governors and intrepid seamen) built a trade monopoly with the ferocity of a holy crusade, forever shifting Europe's center of power from the Mediterranean to Western Europe.